Humidifying system



Feb. 18, 1936. c. J. LEHN HUMIDIFYING SYSTEM Filed'Aug. 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 4T4 (bar/66 agy @ww, as/ham Patented Feb. 18, 1936 PATENT OFFICE 2,031,220 nmvnnmrme SYSTEM Charles J. Lehn, Oak Park, Ill. Application August 15, 1931, Serial No. 557,334

3 Claims. (01. 237-78) .rMy invention relates in general to humidity control and has more particular reference to a humidifying radiator construction adapted to provide for artificially increasing the moisture in the air up to a desired limit wherever the device is. placed in operation.

, 1 Among ,the important objects of the invention is to provide a neat, attractive and compact construction of the class .described which is inexpensive to manufacture and install and which lends itself readily for installation as a part of the recently developed concealed radiator" type of construction; to provide an artistic and attractive humidifying radiator construction, and

to provide a simple and therefore, inexpensive humidifying attachment which may be readily, as-

sembled on a variety of standard radiators without marring the appearance of the fixture, a simple, positively operating, readily controllable humidifying device adapted for continuous, automatic operation over long periods of service without supervision or repair.

These and numerous other objects and advantages, of the-invention will become apparent as the invention is more fully understood from "the following description, which, taken with adcompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention. Y

Referring to the "drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through a built-in humidifying radiator construction embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a heating and humidifying system embodying my invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view, partiallysectionalized,,of apartnf the apparatus shown in Figure 2;

Figures 4- and 5 are sectional views, respectively, taken substantially along the lines 44 and 5-5 in Figure 3; c

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken through a built-in humidifying radiator or modified construction embodying my invention; and

- 7, 8 and 9 are sectional views, respecw tively, taken substantially along the lines 1- 1 ascending hot air currents created by the radiator and discharged through a conduit or chute l9 which is or may be formed around the humiditying radiator to enclose it and create a stack effeet or draught, the humidifying attachment be- 5 ing mounted in position to discharge its water vapor into the hot air stream created by the operation of the heater. Hygrometric control means 2| also is provided to regulate the operation of the humidifying attachment in accord- 10 ance with the existing atmospheric conditions, either by regulating the flow of water to the attachment or the fiow of water evaporating heat or both.

, The humidifying attachment comprises a prefl5 erably sheet metal cistern 23 formed of an elongated strip of material folded to form a trough 25 of substantially V-shaped cross-sectional configuration and triangular end pieces 21 fitted into the ends of the trough and seamed along their side edges, in any suitable manner, as .for instance, by welding or brazing, to the end edges of the trough to form a' water tight cistern.

The end pieces, also, are or may be perforated to permit a conductor 29-for a suitable heating medium to extend into the cistern. In the illustrated embodiment the conductor is a pipe and is secured as by the annular weld 3| in the perfo rated portion of the end pieces.

The radiator l I may be of any suitable construc- 30 tion comprising end fittings 33 comprising hollow cast members providingjunction points for the heating medium The end fittings are connected by suitable heating medium conductors 35 having heat radiating means 31 connected thereto. In-35 the embodiments illustrated herein these conductors 35 comprise preferably iron pipes having heat radiating fins mounted thereon.

The fittings 33, also, may be provided with heat-emitting means comprising the ridges or 0 flute 39 in surfaces other than those to which the conductors 35 are connected.

Each fitting 33 is or may be provided with threaded apertures 43 and the pipe 29 is connected ateach end to a fitting as by means of 45 an elbow connector 45. The radiaton'also, is connected by suitable conductors to a remote source of a suitable-heating medium and this is preferably accomplished by means of pipes 41 engaging in threaded apertures 49 formed in the 50 fittings 33 and leading one to the riser and the other to 'the return main of a heating system.

If a single pipe system is involved, the aperture 43 which otherwise .would be connected to the return main in a two-pipe system, is plugged.

the cistern reaches a predetermined maximum.

The perforations 43 and 49 of each fitting may be formed in any convenient or preferred position, but I prefer, as a matter of economy and to simplify assembly operations, to form each fitting as a symmetrical piece with the perforations on opposite upper and lower surfaces and in substantial alignment and the piece may be provided with bosses 4| at and around the perforations.

The humidifying attachment thus has a heating circuit, comprising the pipe 29 in shunt with the radiator so that whenever the heating medium is supplied to the radiator, heat is also delivered to the humidifying attachment.

The humidifying attachment l3 may be supplied with water in any convenient manner, but I have devised a neat, compact inlet arrangement comprising the pipe ll, leading from the supply cistern l5 preferably through a valve SI and having a tip or nozzle 53 opening into the .cistern l3, the end portion of the pipe I! entering one of the elbows at the end of the pipe 29, thence through the pipe 29, the nozzle 53 being bent and extending through the side of the pipe 29 and being welded or otherwise secured in place as shown at 55. The cistern 1! acts asa master water storage for a number of the humidifying radiators, all of which should be arranged at substantially the; same level since the level of water in themain cistern l5 determines the level of the water in the individual cisterns H of the several radiators. The cistern I5 is supplied with water from a main 5! and the fluid level is limited by the float valve 59, which closes the water main 5'! when the elevation of the water level in and by the overflow drain Bl which operates to drain off the excess water in case the float vaiv fails to operate.

In order to regulate the humidity produced and distributed into the surrounding atmosphere by the humidifying radiator, I provide. means to close the pipe 29 ofl from its supply of heat. This is or may be accomplished by a valve 63, which may be arranged in either or both of the elbows The radiator and humidifying attachment are preferably housed in the casing l9, which may be of sheet metal or other suitable construction, having an air inlet opening 95 at its lower end below the radiator and an outlet 61 at its upper; end substantially above the'radiator. fThe casing is preferably sized to snugly receive the radiator so that all of the air drawn into the casing through the inlet 65 has to pass in close proximity to the heat discharging fins 3i.

i v The casing l9 may be formed as a separate cabinet or may be simply a depression or niche 69 formed in a suitable spot in the room wall to "lateral opening asindicatedatl'l' inl'igure 1 of the drawings, and both openings may be formed with ornamental grilles if desired. It is desirable, also, that the effective area of the discharge opening be at least as large, preferably larger, than the area of the inlet opening and the effective area of the air passageways past the radiator in the casing, so that the outlet will not be restricted. This is necessary because of the increase in volume of the air as it is heated in passing the radiator.

In operation the radiator heats the air in the casing. The air rises. More air enters the inlet. The humidifying attachment discharges water vapor in the path of the ascending air which entrains the humidity and carries it out of the outlet into the atmosphere to be heated and humidified.

In Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 I have shown a modifled construction particularly well adapted for use in single-pipe systems and in which the radiator ll comprises one or more substantially vertically extending pipes 35, connected between spaced-fittings 33 and having obliquely arranged fins 31.

The vertical arrangement of the pipes renders the radiator of extremely compact width. In order to permit the humidifier l3 to be mounted on the radiator the upper ends of the pipes are sloped forwardly in the casing l9 and the humidifier is mounted in the space behind the upper ends of the radiator pipes.

The humidifier comprises a relatively deep trough in order to hold sufiiclent water in spite of its restricted width and the heater comprises vertical pipes 29 connected within the trough to 33 of the radiator. These terminal fittings are connected by means of suitable conductors or pip'es to the spreader fittings of the radiator, the conductors passing through openings in the trough'and being brazed or welded to the trough In-this modificationjaiso, I have shown how the upper or air outlet opening 91' may be provided with a shutter II so that the heat and humidity may be held in the casing l9 and prevented from entering the room.

The arrangement shown in Figures 6-9, also, may be provided with a reservoir l 5 and humidity control mechanism, such as is shown in Figure 2, and the trough may have its sides inset as at I3 to increase the effective area of the air paths in the casing. The operation of the device of Pisa uresG-Sisotherwisequitesimiiartothatof the'p'referred modification shown in Figures 1-5.

,It is thought that the invention and its numerous objects and advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the-form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages.

..Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pateat is asfoilows:

1. The combination with a radiator comprising a pair of spacedidentical castings forming chambers and having each an opening to receive a connection with a source of fiuid heating medium and radiator pipes moimted between the castsaid castings having each a second opening, of a humidiiier carriedby and extendingbetween said .oas insasaidhumidifiercomprisinganelomatcd 76 35 terminal fittings similar to the spreader fittings I cistern having an open top, a pipe in said cistern, means connecting said pipe with the second named openings in said castings said cistern being supported on and carried by said pipe, a feed water pipe extending within the humidifier pipe and connected with a. remote water supply, said feed water pipe extending through the side of the humidifier pipe in position to discharge into said cistern.

2. A humidifier comprising an elongated cistern having an open top, a heating pipe in said cistern and extending out of a wall thereof, a feed water pipe extending within the heating pipe at its point of penetration of the cistern wall, said feed water pipe being adapted for connection with a remote water supply and discharging through the side of the heater pipe into said cistern.

3. A humidifier adapted for attachment on a radiator and comprising a sheet metal cistern, V-shaped in cross-section, heating means comprising a pipe extending in said cistern for evaporating a humidiiying medium therein, said pipe having a portion within the cistern extending longitudinally of the cistern and in close proximity to the bottom thereof in position to be entirely surrounded by a thin layer of the humiditying medium therein, said pipe having an end extending out through a wall of the cistern and formed for connection with a radiator, with which the cistern is operatively associated so that the cistern may be supported entirely by the radiator solely through said pipe and whereby the pipe may receive a heating medium from the radiator, and means formed on said cistern and arranged for connection with a remote constant level reservoir of a suitable fluid humidifying medium by means of a. conduit connecting the reservoir and cistern whereby the level of the fluid medium in the cistern is determined by the fluid level in the reservoir.

CHARLES J. LEHN. 

